Mahindra Marazzo: 15 things you DON’T know about India’s latest MPV

Posted on August 21, 2018August 21, 2018 by Dennis James

India’s largest UV manufacturer Mahindra and Mahindra is all set to launch its largest-ever vehicle in the coming weeks. The large MPV, which was codenamed U321, has been christened ‘Marazzo’ by Mahindra. So in this post, let’s talk about 15 things you need to know about the Mahindra Marazzo.

The Biggest Mahindra Yet

The new Mahindra Marazzo will be the biggest passenger vehicle offered by the carmaker in the Indian market. The large size of the Marazzo is to maximise the interior space for passengers in the 7-seater MPV.

All-Wheel-Drive MPV

The Mahindra Marazzo MPV will be offered with All-Wheel-Drive in international markets. The Indian version of the Marazzo may get All-Wheel-Drive as an option for the top-spec variants.

Premium Interiors

The new Marazzo will be offered with a beige interior theme with faux leather upholstery. The first two rows of seats will feature captain seats with individual armrests. Passengers in the last two rows of seats will be cooled down using roof-mounted air-conditioning vents.

The Marazzo Will Not Replace The Xylo

The Marazzo is not a direct replacement for the Xylo and instead will be part of the Mahindra’s flagship tier of vehicles. The massive MPV will butt heads with the Toyota Innova Crysta in terms of size. However, the Mahindra Marazzo is expected to undercut its rival when it comes to the price tag.

Mahindra’s First Monocoque MPV

The Mahindra Marazzo was developed by the carmaker’s North American Technical Center in Michigan, USA. The Marazzo is the first MPV from Mahindra to feature a monocoque chassis.

Marazzo means ‘Shark’

Mahindra and Mahindra says that the name ‘Marazzo’ comes from the Basque language, which is spoken in the Basque country, a region covering parts of northern Spain and south-west France that straddles the Pyrenees mountains. Mahindra claims that in the Basque language, the word for shark is Marazzo. The name suits the MPV whose design is inspired by a shark.

Pininfarina helped with the design

Mahindra acquired Italian design house Pininfarina a few years ago. The Italian design house, which has designed Ferraris in its past, designed the MPV along with the Mahindra Design Studio. With its shark-teeth like grille and streamlined and aerodynamic design, the MPV will feature an aggressive stance. The design of the tail lamps is inspired by the tail of the shark.

Launch Date

The Mahindra Marazzo will be launched in India on September 2, 2018. The Marazzo is the first of the three new vehicles from Mahindra that will arrive by early next year. The launch date, ahead of the Dusshera-Diwali festive period, should help the Marazzo garner the attention of buyers looking for a new car this year. With car sales increasing during the festive period, the Marazzo could very well be a surefire hit for Mahindra.

Standard safety features

via IAB

The Mahindra Marazzo is expected to be one of the safest new vehicles from the carmaker. ABS and dual front airbags will be offered as standard on all variants, along with ISOFIX child seat mounts, a seatbelt reminder and a speed sensing door locking mechanism. The Marazzo’s monocoque chassis should also make it safer with the construction allowing for more effective crumple zones.

Will try to fill the void left by last gen Toyota Innova

When the new Toyota Innova Crysta arrived, its increase in price left a huge gap between the Japanese MPV and the Maruti Ertiga. The Marazzo will slot into this gap in the MPV market and prices are expected to start at around Rs 12 lakhs. With its aggressive price tag, the Marazzo will undercut the Innova Crysta, with the Ertiga, the only relevant rival at that price point.

All new diesel and petrol engines

The Mahindra Marazzo will be available in both petrol and diesel guises. The diesel engine in the Marazzo will be an all-new 1.6-litre turbocharged powerplant developed by Mahindra and its South Korean subsidiary Ssangyong. The diesel engine in the Marazzo produces 125bhp and 305Nm of torque. The petrol powerplant will be a 1.5-litre turbo petrol with a power output of around 163bhp.

Feature-laden Shark

The Mahindra Marazzo will come loaded with a host of features including roof-mounted AC vents and leather upholstery, along with a large touchscreen infotainment display with support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The new Mahindra MPV will also feature LED DRLs, projector headlamps and automatic climate control.

Will be pricier than Mahindra Scorpio

The Mahindra Marazzo is expected to be priced a lot higher than the Scorpio SUV. With its monocoque chassis, new petrol and diesel engines and a host of features, the Marazzo will be a thoroughly modern vehicle. The Scorpio, on the other hand, is reaching the end of its current lifecycle and looks rather dated compared to Mahindra’s newer vehicles.

The first vehicle to have been developed by MNATC

The Marazzo was developed by a collaboration between the Mahindra North America Technical Centre (MNATC) and Mahindra Research Valley (MRV) in Chennai. The Marazzo is the first vehicle developed by Mahindra’s North American arm, MNATC and the development of the MPV actually started in Michigan a few years ago. MNATC was started by Mahindra to help the carmaker develop products that can compete globally.

First MPV from Mahindra to go on sale in international markets

Considering it’s been developed by the MNATC for global markets, it comes as no surprise that the Marazzo will be the first Mahindra MPV to go on sale outside of India. Come September and the Marazzo will become the third Mahindra vehicle from the current lineup to go on sale abroad. The other two vehicles sold in global markets by Mahindra are the Scorpio and the XUV500.

CARTOQ

ABOUT US

Cartoq is India's largest auto content company with more than 20 million users accessing the latest automobile news, new launches, reviews & other trending stories every month. Empowered by a strong team of auto journalists & content specialists, Cartoq has become a one-stop destination for auto buyers, owners & enthusiasts across the country.See More...